Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the telecommunications field. More specifically, the invention pertains to a method for transmitting information such as data, voice, etc.
In order to transmit information, a telecommunications subscriber must explicitly select a transmission path, and thus a transmission protocol, before the transmission of information may start.
A user of a conventional telephone system may make a selection between various telephone network providers. For example, an additional dialing code, which is dialed before the actual telephone number (so-called xe2x80x9cpreselectionxe2x80x9d), is used to select a network provider for the entire call. The choice of the provider is thereby made by the subscriber on the basis of information such as tariff details available to him or her.
PC-users, as well, have a number of options for making a transmission to a destination apparatus. This extends from direct transmission by means of a modem and telephone line to use of so-called on-line service providers (such as AOL(copyright), CompuServe(copyright)) or an Internet Provider.
If the transmission quality deteriorates severely during the call, the call is, however, interrupted.
If the subscriber requirements change during the transmission, then the user""s only option is to terminate the call, and to set up a new call that meets the changed requirements.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method of changing from a first transmission path and/or transmission mode to a second transmission path and/or transmission mode, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a transmission method with which it is possible to change from a first transmission path and/or transmission mode to a second transmission path and/or transmission mode without interrupting the transmission. The method comprises the following steps:
selecting, with a decision system, a first transmission path and/or a first transmission mode in dependence on at least one limit value;
during the transmission, checking the selection of the transmission path and/or the transmission mode at least once;
if the limit value is found to be undershot or exceeded during the transmission, selecting a second transmission path and/or transmission mode with the decision system; and
changing over to the second transmission path and/or transmission mode without interrupting the transmission.
In an alternative, user-requested changeover, the transmission method comprises the following steps:
selecting, with a decision system, one of a first transmission path and a first transmission mode in dependence on at least a first limit value;
during the transmission, signaling a change in the first limit value or a second limit value;
checking the transmission path and/or the transmission mode and, if the changed limit value is found to be undershot or exceeded during the transmission, selecting a second transmission path and/or transmission mode with the decision system; and
changing over to the second transmission path and/or transmission mode without interrupting the transmission.
In other words, the method allows the transmission protocol and/or the transmission path to be changed during the transmission. This is done as a function of requirements which are either entered or changed by the subscriber during the transmission, or as a function of limit values which are defined before or during the transmission.
The subscriber who wishes to make a transmission first of all sets up a transmission path with the aid of an intelligent decision platform. A first path is defined, and the transmission is started, on the basis of previously stored service requirements for the subscriber.
If either the subscriber requirements or the quality of the transmission now change or changes during the transmission, then the decision platform is informed of the necessity to define a second transmission path.
This procedure results in the optimum transmission protocol for the application, and the appropriate transmission path, being selected at the start of the transmission. Furthermore, the automatic use of an optimum protocol is maintained during the transmission as well, if a change in the transmission protocol is initiated by an intelligent decision platform as a result of specific limit values being exceeded or undershot.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the checking step comprises comparing a transmission quality during the transmission with a limit value. It is also possible, to compare an available bandwidth with a limit value. Furthermore, it is possible to compare an available privacy level with a limit value during the transmission.
The requirements and limit values on the basis of which the intelligent decision platform makes path selection decisions and defines transmission paths relate to so-called service quality parameters for the transmission, such as the available bandwidth, the transmission security, the transmission rate or the costs. Other factors may play a role in package-switched data transmission, for example the frequency of repetitions (that is to say how many packets reach the receiver) or else the transmission security, that is to say the privacy level of the transmission path.
If, for example, the intelligent decision platform measures the bandwidth provided by the selected transmission path during the transmission, and in the process optimizes the costs of the transmission, then a change to the transmission protocol and/or path can be initiated if this bandwidth falls below a specific limit value. This is worthwhile if, for example, the nature of the transmission requires a minimum bandwidth, for example a video transmission.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the intelligent decision system has stored information suitable for producing a limit value for the transmission, and the limit value is accordingly defined with the decision system. The stored information is preferably communication-subscriber specific information.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the communication subscriber is automatically identified, using identification tags supplied prior to the transmission.
The intelligent decision platform can automatically decide on the optimum transmission path by using information which it has already stored in advance. This information may be entered in the form of a service profile or a service requirement by a subscriber, in advance, or may be stored in a subscriber profile on the basis of transmissions which had been required in the past.
The identity of the subscriber can be determined at the start of transmission. In the telephone network, this is done in the form of the xe2x80x9cCalling Party Addressxe2x80x9d (CgPA). On the Internet, this is done by the Internet address and, for example, the xe2x80x9cloginxe2x80x9d name of the subscriber.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in method for changing from a first transmission path and/or transmission mode to a second transmission path and/or transmission mode, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.